Eating well and exercising but very slow fat loss

Options
Hello,

I feel like I’m not losing fat fast enough for the amount of effort I’m putting in to working out. Over the past 1.5 months it has been very unnoticeable. I go to the gym for a minimum of 5 days a week but I always aim for 6. I do 3 cardio days, which consists of 20min rowing, 10min fast running and 20min elliptical machine. In total the machines say iv’e burnt about 600 calories but I know they’re not 100% accurate so I say about 550 calories burnt. On the other 3 days I do about 35/40min cardio (less intense) and still burn about 450 calories but I also do strength training for 30mins on these days. This is my new routine that I have changed because I read that if you keep doing the same workouts they become less effective so I stopped doing as much time on the running machine and started with the elliptical machine.

I’m 22 years old, weigh about 182 pounds and my BMR is calculated to be 1,950
I eat well, I don’t eat any foods high in carbs or saturated fats and try to eat a lot of protein. I do however eat carbs before my work out for energy. Here’s an example of my calorie intake from my diary:

Monday -
Goal – 1,300
Food intake – 1,250
Exercise – 450

Tuesday –
Goal – 1,300
Food intake – 1,541
Exercise – 580

My weekly calorie breakdown is 46% Carbs, 29% fat and 25% protein. It did say I was 4,571 net calories under my weekly goal.
You can see Monday is my day with weights and Tuesday is my cardio day. This is pretty much the same outcome I get on a weekly basis. I don’t understand how I can be putting in this much work and burning so many calories. I have read that eating too little can slow down the process but I am still consuming 1,550 calories on my cardio days, surely this is enough? Will eating more actually make me lose fat faster? Some how it just doesn’t seem to me that eating more is going to help me here.

any input would be greatly appreciated!
«1

Replies

  • _Zardoz_
    _Zardoz_ Posts: 3,987 Member
    Options
    What do you mean by slow loss? How much have you actually lost?
  • mousepaws22
    mousepaws22 Posts: 380 Member
    Options
    Are you consuming 1.550 calories or 1,550 net calories? If you eat 1500, burn 500 and don't eat them back, you're only netting 1000 calories which will be too low.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    Options
    you dont need the cardio on strength days, and look into HIIT for your cardio.

    you are eating way under your BMR, which isnt neccessary to lose weight and is bad for you if you do it long term.
  • lisaabenjamin
    lisaabenjamin Posts: 665 Member
    Options
    You say you have had slow fat loss - but hey! You've had fat loss! Do you realise how much 1lb actually weighs?! Go grab a bag of sugar and check it out - it's a lot heavier than you realise so congratulations!!
  • Trytotryharder
    Options
    What do you mean by slow loss? How much have you actually lost?

    A year ago I lost a lot of fat within the space of 3 months, I'm comparing my weight loss to then. I have hardly lost any weight at all on the scales but I Can tell I've lost fat but the lack of weight loss I am assuming is from gaining a bit of weight with strength training
  • Trytotryharder
    Options
    Are you consuming 1.550 calories or 1,550 net calories? If you eat 1500, burn 500 and don't eat them back, you're only netting 1000 calories which will be too low.

    So how many calories do you think I should be eating in total if I'm burning up 500 at the gym?
  • Trytotryharder
    Options
    you dont need the cardio on strength days, and look into HIIT for your cardio.

    you are eating way under your BMR, which isnt neccessary to lose weight and is bad for you if you do it long term.

    Are you sure about no cardio? Surely it's better than not?

    I have actually just started looking into HIIT but I don't want to start doing it and then it slow down my progress even more. Is HIIT best achieved on something like rowing/elliptical machine?
  • Trytotryharder
    Options
    You say you have had slow fat loss - but hey! You've had fat loss! Do you realise how much 1lb actually weighs?! Go grab a bag of sugar and check it out - it's a lot heavier than you realise so congratulations!!

    Yeah I'm happy I've lost some but I've lost weight quicker in the past and I feel like I've done so much but can hardly see any difference in the past month
  • lacroyx
    lacroyx Posts: 5,754 Member
    Options
    What do you mean by slow loss? How much have you actually lost?

    A year ago I lost a lot of fat within the space of 3 months, I'm comparing my weight loss to then. I have hardly lost any weight at all on the scales but I Can tell I've lost fat but the lack of weight loss I am assuming is from gaining a bit of weight with strength training

    Most people drop a lot of weight when they started and it tapers off over time. How much have you lost in the past 1.5 months? Unless you are overweight by 100+ lbs. 1-2 lbs a week is a healthy rate of loss.
  • mousepaws22
    mousepaws22 Posts: 380 Member
    Options
    Are you consuming 1.550 calories or 1,550 net calories? If you eat 1500, burn 500 and don't eat them back, you're only netting 1000 calories which will be too low.

    So how many calories do you think I should be eating in total if I'm burning up 500 at the gym?

    I can't tell you how many calories you should be eating each day but you need to eat back your exercise calories. Netting less than 1200 a day is not really a good idea.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    Options
    you dont need the cardio on strength days, and look into HIIT for your cardio.

    you are eating way under your BMR, which isnt neccessary to lose weight and is bad for you if you do it long term.

    Are you sure about no cardio? Surely it's better than not?

    I have actually just started looking into HIIT but I don't want to start doing it and then it slow down my progress even more. Is HIIT best achieved on something like rowing/elliptical machine?

    you dont need to do cardio for fat loss. yes some cardio is good for your overall health, but you dont have to do it.

    Why would you think HIIT would slow down your progress? it is more effective for calorie burning than steady state cardio
  • Trytotryharder
    Options
    What do you mean by slow loss? How much have you actually lost?

    A year ago I lost a lot of fat within the space of 3 months, I'm comparing my weight loss to then. I have hardly lost any weight at all on the scales but I Can tell I've lost fat but the lack of weight loss I am assuming is from gaining a bit of weight with strength training

    Most people drop a lot of weight when they started and it tapers off over time. How much have you lost in the past 1.5 months? Unless you are overweight by 100+ lbs. 1-2 lbs a week is a healthy rate of loss.

    Well it was a year ago I lost that weight quickly then I put it on again. Since February I went back to the gym but wasn't getting results with the amount I was doing do may I started going a lot. The last 1.5 months I'm finding it hard to notice any fat loss, looking at all areas on my body. I have now started to take measurements so I can track my progress. My weight has stayed at 13st +/- a couple of pounds for the past 2 months
  • Trytotryharder
    Options
    you dont need the cardio on strength days, and look into HIIT for your cardio.

    you are eating way under your BMR, which isnt neccessary to lose weight and is bad for you if you do it long term.

    Are you sure about no cardio? Surely it's better than not?

    I have actually just started looking into HIIT but I don't want to start doing it and then it slow down my progress even more. Is HIIT best achieved on something like rowing/elliptical machine?

    you dont need to do cardio for fat loss. yes some cardio is good for your overall health, but you dont have to do it.

    Why would you think HIIT would slow down your progress? it is more effective for calorie burning than steady state cardio

    I tried it before and found it didn't have much effect however I was doing it on a running machine, even though I was doing it as fast as I could handle I was told after that its not as effective on a running machine because you can't go at your maximum speed however it still put me off. Do you recommend doing cardio, HIIT & str training?
  • Markguns
    Markguns Posts: 554 Member
    Options
    Hello,

    I feel like I’m not losing fat fast enough for the amount of effort I’m putting in to working out. Over the past 1.5 months it has been very unnoticeable. I go to the gym for a minimum of 5 days a week but I always aim for 6. I do 3 cardio days, which consists of 20min rowing, 10min fast running and 20min elliptical machine. In total the machines say iv’e burnt about 600 calories but I know they’re not 100% accurate so I say about 550 calories burnt. On the other 3 days I do about 35/40min cardio (less intense) and still burn about 450 calories but I also do strength training for 30mins on these days. This is my new routine that I have changed because I read that if you keep doing the same workouts they become less effective so I stopped doing as much time on the running machine and started with the elliptical machine.

    I’m 22 years old, weigh about 182 pounds and my BMR is calculated to be 1,950
    I eat well, I don’t eat any foods high in carbs or saturated fats and try to eat a lot of protein. I do however eat carbs before my work out for energy. Here’s an example of my calorie intake from my diary:

    Monday -
    Goal – 1,300
    Food intake – 1,250
    Exercise – 450

    Tuesday –
    Goal – 1,300
    Food intake – 1,541
    Exercise – 580

    My weekly calorie breakdown is 46% Carbs, 29% fat and 25% protein. It did say I was 4,571 net calories under my weekly goal.
    You can see Monday is my day with weights and Tuesday is my cardio day. This is pretty much the same outcome I get on a weekly basis. I don’t understand how I can be putting in this much work and burning so many calories. I have read that eating too little can slow down the process but I am still consuming 1,550 calories on my cardio days, surely this is enough? Will eating more actually make me lose fat faster? Some how it just doesn’t seem to me that eating more is going to help me here.

    any input would be greatly appreciated!

    If I'm reading this right.....
    "4,571 net calories under my weekly goal." That should be as closer to zero... Your NET calories IS your GOAL
    On Monday you only have a net of 800 calories. 1250 - 450 = 800 NET. Your GOAL is 1300 NET. SO you need to eat back more of your exercise calories, you are losing lean muscle tissue along with fat. Hence a slower fat loss. Sounds like you are doing a ton of cardio.. I'd suggest you do 3 days weights and 2-3 days cardio. Make sure you have at lest one rest day. Every other month take off 3-5 days.

    Read this : http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10589-for-those-confused-or-questioning-eating-your-exercise-calo
  • joan23_us
    joan23_us Posts: 263 Member
    Options
    1. 182 lbs. x 13 calories = 2366 calories daily intake P= 45 C= 35 F = 20

    try that for 2 vveeks and see if you vvill lose 1-2 lb. ( considering the activity you already mentioned)

    2. Progress vvith your cardio by increasing intensity before increasing duration. ( slovv progress is key )
    As previously mentioned HIIT vvill yield an optimal fatloss vs. steady state cardio in saying that both vvill vvork but HIIT being more optimal but harder!

    3. VVhen you hit a sticking point re-adjust your calorie intake ( ideally 150-200 calories ) and increase intensity of cardio

    Summary:

    Slovv progress is key.... you should only be losing 1-1.5 lb of vveight every vveek. Revvard yourself vvith a treat meal once a vveek. Goodluck to you!
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    Options

    I tried it before and found it didn't have much effect however I was doing it on a running machine, even though I was doing it as fast as I could handle I was told after that its not as effective on a running machine because you can't go at your maximum speed however it still put me off. Do you recommend doing cardio, HIIT & str training?

    i would reccommend strength 2/3x a week, and cardio 2/3x a week. with a moderate deifict. so set MFP to lose 1lb per week and NET that figure (eat back exercise calories).
  • Trytotryharder
    Options
    1. 182 lbs. x 13 calories = 2366 calories daily intake P= 45 C= 35 F = 20

    try that for 2 vveeks and see if you vvill lose 1-2 lb. ( considering the activity you already mentioned)

    2. Progress vvith your cardio by increasing intensity before increasing duration. ( slovv progress is key )
    As previously mentioned HIIT vvill yield an optimal fatloss vs. steady state cardio in saying that both vvill vvork but HIIT being more optimal but harder!

    3. VVhen you hit a sticking point re-adjust your calorie intake ( ideally 150-200 calories ) and increase intensity of cardio

    Summary:

    Slovv progress is key.... you should only be losing 1-1.5 lb of vveight every vveek. Revvard yourself vvith a treat meal once a vveek. Goodluck to you!

    Wow! 2,366 is a lot! I just don't know how I can eat that much without eating too much fat and carbs?
  • Trytotryharder
    Options
    Hello,

    I feel like I’m not losing fat fast enough for the amount of effort I’m putting in to working out. Over the past 1.5 months it has been very unnoticeable. I go to the gym for a minimum of 5 days a week but I always aim for 6. I do 3 cardio days, which consists of 20min rowing, 10min fast running and 20min elliptical machine. In total the machines say iv’e burnt about 600 calories but I know they’re not 100% accurate so I say about 550 calories burnt. On the other 3 days I do about 35/40min cardio (less intense) and still burn about 450 calories but I also do strength training for 30mins on these days. This is my new routine that I have changed because I read that if you keep doing the same workouts they become less effective so I stopped doing as much time on the running machine and started with the elliptical machine.

    I’m 22 years old, weigh about 182 pounds and my BMR is calculated to be 1,950
    I eat well, I don’t eat any foods high in carbs or saturated fats and try to eat a lot of protein. I do however eat carbs before my work out for energy. Here’s an example of my calorie intake from my diary:

    Monday -
    Goal – 1,300
    Food intake – 1,250
    Exercise – 450

    Tuesday –
    Goal – 1,300
    Food intake – 1,541
    Exercise – 580

    My weekly calorie breakdown is 46% Carbs, 29% fat and 25% protein. It did say I was 4,571 net calories under my weekly goal.
    You can see Monday is my day with weights and Tuesday is my cardio day. This is pretty much the same outcome I get on a weekly basis. I don’t understand how I can be putting in this much work and burning so many calories. I have read that eating too little can slow down the process but I am still consuming 1,550 calories on my cardio days, surely this is enough? Will eating more actually make me lose fat faster? Some how it just doesn’t seem to me that eating more is going to help me here.

    any input would be greatly appreciated!

    If I'm reading this right.....
    "4,571 net calories under my weekly goal." That should be as closer to zero... Your NET calories IS your GOAL
    On Monday you only have a net of 800 calories. 1250 - 450 = 800 NET. Your GOAL is 1300 NET. SO you need to eat back more of your exercise calories, you are losing lean muscle tissue along with fat. Hence a slower fat loss. Sounds like you are doing a ton of cardio.. I'd suggest you do 3 days weights and 2-3 days cardio. Make sure you have at lest one rest day. Every other month take off 3-5 days.

    Read this : http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10589-for-those-confused-or-questioning-eating-your-exercise-calo

    Very interesting read, thanks a lot
  • elliej
    elliej Posts: 466 Member
    Options
    From what I understand if you're netting below 1000 calories your body is going to hold onto your fat rather than burn it. Starvation mode fat retention.
  • Trytotryharder
    Options

    I tried it before and found it didn't have much effect however I was doing it on a running machine, even though I was doing it as fast as I could handle I was told after that its not as effective on a running machine because you can't go at your maximum speed however it still put me off. Do you recommend doing cardio, HIIT & str training?

    i would reccommend strength 2/3x a week, and cardio 2/3x a week. with a moderate deifict. so set MFP to lose 1lb per week and NET that figure (eat back exercise calories).

    Thanks a lot for the input!